Lone Wolf.

Jackson's pov.

The road was my ally it was the only company I needed; my experience of people had been a constant disappointment, people let you down and abandon you, people work on your weaknesses and exploit them and I'd had more than my fair share of bad experiences with my fellow man... and woman. My name is Jackson Teller and this is the story of my life so far...

One year earlier...

'Welcome to Charming' to any other person it might be a welcome sight but a familiar sense of dread filled me as I returned to a Town that I thought I'd left behind, that was until my mom contacted me with news of Clay's illness; I always swore it would take a hell of a lot to bring me back to the place I once called home and there couldn't be a better reason than to witness the deterioration of the man I once called 'dad'

I could smell the warmth as it sunk into the dirt roads, the dry air penetrated my lungs and the familiar sound of crickets surrounded me, I looked up at the worn words "Samcro the Reaper Crew" In all of the months that had passed since my escape from Charming and despite my reasons for leaving... I still felt the pride swell deep within my gut, it had once given my life a purpose to be a member of the 'Son's' I'd spend hours watching my father tinker with his bike, I remember my first glimpse of his cut, the way the leather felt as I dragged my fingers across it's embellishment 'Sons of Anarchy' I asked questions, I wanted my dad to share his world with me, even at the meagre age of 10 I knew I wanted in and I'd do anything to wear the patch on my back.

My father was John Teller, co-founder and President of The Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle club; he had a vision and He died trying to make it a reality.

Gemma, my mom never hid what he was, what he was a part of, she welcomed my knowledge of the 'Sons' in fact my earliest memory had been playing at fixing up my tricycle in the garage, amongst John's brothers, their hands covered in oil as they worked on the real thing, their cuts lay draped over the handle bars of their custom Harleys out front, Gemma would bring out fresh lemonade and beers, a welcome refreshment in the blazing Californian sun.

She had dedicated her life to the club, the other members held nothing but respect for the woman they knew as 'Mother Gemma' and she would do whatever it took to protect each and every one of them; after all... there was no greater love then that of a mother.

"Jackson! Oh my boy!" I rested my helmet on the seat of my bike as I dismounted, Gemma threw her arms around me, drawing me into her embrace, her scent hadn't changed, still the perfect mix of vanilla and mint. I pulled back slightly, tinged with nicotine; I allowed myself time to study her face; life had been hard on my mom, the creases around her eyes a little more prominent but she was still every teenage boys wet dream.

Her hands felt cool against my face as she looked deeply into my eyes "thank you for comin', Jax, Clay's in a bad way, the doc told him he can't ride no more! You know what this club means to him, son, you gotta talk to him, you gotta help him! I'm... I'm afraid he might be losing his mind!"

"And why would I care about Clay or anything to do with him? You seem to be forgetting the reason for me leaving Charming in the first place, Mom!"

She would have a back up argument, if Gemma was anything it certainly wasn't unprepared, she knew Clay and I had an unpredictable relationship

"I know that, Jax and I don't blame you for being reluctant about helping, but... don't look at it as your doing him a favour, do it for me?... please son?"

And there it was the good old Gemma Morrow charm! I don't think she realised that she was also part of my reason for leaving, it wasn't all on Clay.

You see my mother's role within the 'Sons' didn't stop at making lemonade and serving up cold beers on a hot day, it ran a lot deeper than that, it ran as deep as poison in the bloodstream.

I pushed the damp hair from my forehead and looked past her, towards the clubhouse "you better lead the way then, I remember being told I wasn't welcome to step foot inside there, ever again! Don't wanna have my balls handed to me for ignoring that warning now do I!?"

The interior hadn't changed, the stench of stale beer and tobacco still lingered in the air, I scoped the place out, not yet seeing anyone I recognised; a busty blonde sauntered over, pushing her chest out as she looked up at me from beneath her heavily made up lashes "can I get you a beer, Darlin'?"

Gemma stood between us, her back facing the blonde "he's in the chapel, why don't you go through, Jackson?"

I clenched my teeth and proceeded forwards, my legs fought against me, urging me to turn and walk away but my heart pushed me forward, despite my bodies lack of desire to be here, something deep inside me didn't wanna leave.

The sound of Clay's gruff voice opened wounds I thought had long since healed but still I forced myself on, closing the heavy door behind me.

"Well, well, well look what the bike dragged in! You gunna stand hidden in the shadows, Jackson or you gonna come over and let me take a look at you?"

I couldn't help but snigger lightly, He really did think I feared him, but the truth of it was I feared myself whenever I was around him, Clay Morrow was a danger to me, he brought a cloud of darkness over my soul and I felt nothing but consuming rage and hatred whenever he was near.

The distant sound of the duke box reminded me of where I was, this wasn't my territory any more and despite my initial, murderous thoughts I had to regain control over myself.

I moved closer, his bulky frame no longer just a silhouette against the window as his features became clearer. He looked old, I recalled never believing he could age, I thought he would stay the same formidable man I knew him as forever, but not anymore; his mop of wiry hair now more white then dirty grey, his back hunched over, I'd never seen anyone look so worn down.

"The past few months haven't been kind to you, Clay! But then I guess having a mind riddled with secrets and death will do that to a man..."

His body slumped as he lowered himself into the same chair that my father had been the master of.

"Well time has clearly been in your favour, son! You look well... that Californian pussy must be just what you needed!"

Turning the chair around I straddled over it, resting my arms across the back "Gemma tells me you've lost the right to vote... your hands finally given up on you?"

He looked down at the shaky hands that had failed him, his response weak "they've betrayed me, Jax! I can barely ride ten minutes before the pain becomes too much"

I pitied him, 'SAMCRO' had been the only commitment he welcomed, even his marriage to Gemma hadn't come close to how he felt about the club and its members, they were his true family... his brothers; that's what being a part of the 'Sons' did to a man though, it distracted you from reality, from the people that really invested in you and I knew better than anyone how it felt to lose everything that should have mattered because of 'SAMCRO'

"Why am I here, Clay? Not so long ago you were only happy to wave me off, you couldn't wait to see the back of me... it was a special day for you wasn't it? The day you took my cut off my back and told me my day's as a 'Son' had been spent?"

The gentle tap on the door only brought Clay time... I'd get the answers I wanted; I'd get it all from him.

Gemma placed a bottle of ice cold beer in front of us, she showed no signs of leaving again as she rested her arm over Clay's shoulders, perching on the arm of his chair as she looked across at me, hope clearly visible in her eyes "you gonna stay with us, Jackson? I've got your old room ready for you, clean sheets on the bed... I got your favourite for dinner, baby – steak!"

I stood up and pushed my hands deep into my jean pockets, the fingers of my left hand curled securely around my father's knife, it offered some comfort and I wanted nothing more than to slide it into Clay's bloated gut.

"I'm staying with, Ope" I cast a disgusted look over Clay; there wasn't a single person in the world that could persuade me to sleep under that man's roof.

The heat swamped me once more as I left the club, I grinned at the sight of my childhood friend straddled on my bike, it felt like the past 9 months hadn't passed us by, he pushed the beanie hat I'd brought him for his 21st birthday from his head, his smile widening as he strode over to me, our embrace full of brotherly love as I thumped his back "it's good to see you, brother!" he nodded in response and looked me over, a hint of concern evident on his face "it's been too long, brother!" he gave his head a brief shake "I dunno, this is weird, seeing you in civvies, no cut..."

It had taken long enough for me to get used to, not having the weighted leather resting over my back, not seeing it draped over the end of my bed each morning, it felt like one of my limbs had been cut off.

"Yeah, well it was worth it, my soul doesn't feel as heavy anymore, Ope... everything it stood for shackled me down, escaping my fate in 'SAMCRO' was the most pivotal moment in my life"

His brows furrowed as he pushed his hand slowly through his beard "you're not born again or anything, are you Jax?"

I slung my arm lazily over his shoulders "I'm still a 100% pussy loving, beer drinking, knife carrying, grease monkey, Redwood original, Ope... the only religious thing about me is the tequila I throw back every mornin' talking of tequila... I got a bottle of the good stuff, let's go sink it and see if Charming's female population has improved since I've been gone."

He hesitated and I'd known Opie long enough to know when there was something up with him, Opie was the brother I never had; His sister – Tara had been my childhood sweetheart, the three of us were inseparable growing up, although Tara had always been more interested in playing doctors then messing about with engine oil and climbing trees, she had always been a lady; she wasn't meant for Charming and she certainly wasn't meant for me; our relationship had been one of the biggest motivators for me to leave Charming.

"There's something you need to know, Jax..." I narrowed my eyes and studied Opie's face, he couldn't look at me, and instead he looked down at the gravel as he kicked against it absently with his boot.

"She's... met someone..."

I'd spent 9 months away from her and still those words caused an avalanche of feelings inside me, mostly anger. She had begged me not to go, told me that we could work things out, we could handle the horror that my life style had forced upon us but I'd been dragging her down, she had been given a wonderful opportunity to progress within her career at Charmings only hospital and in the time that we spent together that opportunity had been threatened more than once.

The incident with Clay had only convinced me that I had to leave Tara and Charming behind, it was the only way I could ensure her safety, Gemma had of course argued my decision, she had never been Tara's biggest fan and in her eyes it was Tara forcing me to leave; but I couldn't have stayed, she wouldn't have given up on us, she'd of fought with her last breath to persuade me we could work things out but I knew differently and abandoning her was my only real option.

I hadn't expected this though and I wasn't quite sure why, I should have known it wouldn't take long for her to be snapped up in my absence; Tara was the most beautiful woman I'd ever known and her soul made me feel like a better man.

"Well I'm glad, she deserves to be happy" I pulled on my helmet and forced a quick smile in Opie's direction "Common, brother... there's a bottle of tequila with our name on it"

His hand rested against the handle bar of my bike as I kicked it into life, my frustration was building now, I hadn't returned to be regaled in tales of Tara's love life.

"Ok, Ope... out with it! Just say what you've gotta say and let's get nose deep in pussy!"

He pulled his beanie back on his head, making a point of fiddling with it, he was nervous and I wasn't used to him acting this way.

"It's Tig, she's seeing Tig, Jackson"

I felt the ball of fury burning deep inside me like a fiery pit of hell and it slowly consumed me, I could have coped with it being a doctor from the hospital, after all that's what I'd expected but Tig!? He'd helped me build my first bike! He'd served as my brother and besides that we had laws, definite, unbreakable laws, fellow 'Son's' old ladies were off bounds, during or after a relationship with one of your brothers.

I spoke through clenched teeth, my knuckles white as I crushed my fingers against the handles of my bike "how long has it been going on?"

Opie looked at me now, his face serious "that's not important, Jax" I jumped off my bike and paced back and forth, my nostrils flaring as I tried to maintain my breathing, the past few months didn't matter, any positive changes I had made were demolished and the thought of Tigs hands all over the woman I'd loved... still did love pushed me back into that place again; I slowed and turned to look at Opie.

"He's dead; I'm gunna cut his heart out and feed it to him"